BEST IN EUROPE ROAD SAFETY CONFERENCE - ETSC

3. Reducing high risks – Young novice driver measures
Nils-Petter Gregersen, Swedish Transport Research Institute (VTI)
The overrepresentation of young drivers in accidents is a
problem that is present in most countries. The diagram
below shows the situation in a sample of countries
regarding number of killed persons in car accidents per
100 000 of population in different age groups.
200
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Luxembourg
Belgium
Killed in car accidents per 100 000 of population
18-24
25-64
65+
Austria
Lithuania
Estonia
Latvia
USA
Iceland
Portugal
Norway
Czech Rep.
Spain
Switzerland
Italy
Poland
Finland
Netherlands
UK
Sweden
Much research has been done to explain the reasons why
young drivers are at high risk and the knowledge base
has grown rapidly. Today there is a high level of such
knowledge, which is available for application into driver
training programs. One such aspect is the importance and
nature of experience. Most of the accident reduction
during the first years with a licence is explained by
increased experience behind the wheel. In Sweden, this
knowledge has been used as a base for lowering the age
limit for practising from 17½ to 16 years. In 1993 it
became possible to practice with a professional or a lay
instructor during two years before driving alone behind
the wheel. This was a way to avoid the paradox that
experience normally is gained during the most dangerous
first period of being a driver, that is, after obtaining a
licence.
A comprehensive evaluation of the lowered age limit
was carried out at VTI and the results showed high level
of utilisation, 2.5-3 times increase of amount of practising
and a dramatic reduction of accident risk. The
accident risk of those who made use of the new possibi-
Accidents per 1000 licence holders
1.4
1.2
1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
Accident development the first 24 months with a
licence
Utilizers
Control
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Months with a licence
lities was almost 40% lower than the situation before the
change. The total reduction of accident risk among all
18-19 years old drivers was 15%. The accident development
among utilises and a control group over the first
two years with a licence is shown in the figure above.
Even if the safety effects of the reform was dramatic,
there is, however, still a large over-risk among the young
drivers in Sweden. The national reduction was 15% that
indicates that there is still much to be done to reduce
their accident involvement. The list below summarises
current state of the art regarding what competencies that
are necessary to become a safe driver.
A safe driver is not only skilled,
but also sensible and wise:
• Knows how to control the car
• Knows and understands the rules
• Knows how to drive in traffic
• Has much experience
• Has calibrated own skill
• Is aware of risks
• Does not drive with dangerous motives
• Is planning trips safely
• Is aware of possible outcome of peerpressure
• Is aware of possible influence of social
and personal preconditions
• Is reflecting on the consequences of
own behaviour
Many of these competences have not traditionally been
covered in driver training even if we know they are
important. The focus has been on the three first aspects
of the list. The awareness of the complexity of young
driver safety has encouraged the Swedish Government
and the Swedish National Road Administration (SNRA)
to develop a new staged driver education and a new
educational content/ national curriculum. The strategy in
the new system, which is currently examined by the
Government, has been to implement frontline knowledge
about driver behaviour and young drivers and to make
use of the advantages of the 16 years age limit. The
structure of the suggested system is shown in the figure
below. A more comprehensive description is available at
the SNRA (www.vv.se).
Initial ed. Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Follow up
Learner: Prof+Lay Prof+Lay Prof+Lay 2 years
Ed. syst. Simple Advanced All Driver
Rules environm. environm. environm. improve-
Risks No pass. No pass. Pass. ok. ment
Obligatory Obligatory Obligatory
Written test highway risk+skid 1st aid
L permit Diagnosis Diagnosis Written test
Lay instr:
Unsupervised
Ed. syst. Individual
practice (restr.)
Responsib. ed. plan
Risks
L-plate + mirror
Driving test
Instr permit Full licence